


Like Father's, Like Son

by ATV12



Series: Like Father's Like Son [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), F/M, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-14 19:53:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,722
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7187852
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ATV12/pseuds/ATV12
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Akihiko Kageyama has started his first year at Karasuno High. Joining the volleyball team he sets out to follow in his parents footsteps and possibly surpass them</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

 "I can't believe this is real" Shoyo's voice snapped me out of my thoughts as we made our way down the corridor of the hospital. "I know" I replied looking down at him, his eyes had this look, the one he has when he aced a serve or just in general when volleyball was mentioned.  
"Like our own son Tobio, a fusion of you and me" he was practically beaming. "It's making me all gwahh"  
"You're 21 and you're still making that unintelligible nonsense" he hadn't changed since we left karasuno, he was still that shrimpy dumbass I fell in love with at school. Since then we'd graduated and been scouted for the Japan team in our first year of university. Things between us had escalated since school and we knew we wanted to spend the rest of our lives together. I asked him to marry me at our graduation.  
"I'm just excited, it's been way to long, I want to see him" he was jumping now which made two nurses who passed us jump and caused an old woman to almost fall over.  
"OI calm down dumbass"  
"I can't, ughh why did the room where he is have to be so far away"

I sighed muttering a dumbass under my breath, before taking his hand and walking briskly. Every step we took I felt our heart rates pick up, nerves were setting in.  
We'd gotten a call a few weeks after we had started looking at adoption agency's, they said that a hospital near us were testing a new sort of technology that was like an incubator with an artificially created egg inside. If the process went well we'd have a biological child of our own.  
38 weeks later and here we are. "We're here" Shoyo let go of my hand and ran on ahead like a kindergartener who's gone into his favourite toy store.  
I caught up a few seconds after finding him bouncing on his heels at the reception desk.  
"Tobio and Shoyo Kageyama" he announced.  
"Ah yes, if you'd like to take a seat" the receptionist replied before picking up the phone to notify the doctor of our arrival.  
"Do you think he's going to have my hair of yours"  
"We won't know yet, he won't have any hair"  
"But if you had to guess"  
"Mine obviously" I smirked, watching a vain pop from Shoyo's head. "He'll probably be a dumbass just like you"  
"At least then he won't have a stick shoved up his ass, like you"   
"The only stick that'll get shoved up my ass is yo..."  
"Kageyama?" a voice interupted us.  
"That's us" Shoyo jumped up "where is he? Is he ok? When do we get to see him? Can I hold him?"  
"Calm down Kageyama San" the doctor smiled. "He's just woken up, so you can come and see him now"

We were lead down another corridor into a lab area where sounds of crying could be heard. Shoyo ran forward towards the nurse who held a small wriggling bundle in her arms.  
"Congratulations Kageyama San" the doctor smiled. "He's perfectly healthy and no problems at all"  
"Tobio, come look" Shoyo's eyes shone brightly just like our wedding day when he arrived wearing that white kimono. "He's got your eyes"  
I walked up closer to Shoyo who had the small bundle in his hands and was gently rocking, I came face to face with dark blue eyes that almost mimicked my own. He was tiny and I was too nervous to hold him. "He's beautiful, here Tobio you hold him"  
Shoyo placed him in my arms, he wriggled around like a puppy when you held them and all they want to do was get down and run around.  
I could see a mix of mine and Shoyo's facial structure in there and even though it was so thin he had some small strands of ginger hair there.  
"Looks like I won in the hair department" Shoyo smirked leaning on my shoulder with a radiant smile. "He's amazing and bwah and guhhhh"  
"I really hope he never uses those words" I sighed gently rocking him as a few hiccups erupted through his tiny frame.

"We need to think of a name" Shoyo hummed. "He's got my hair and my mum named me after the sun so I think"  
"Akihiko" I muttered.  
"I like that, I think he does to" I looked down and two small blue eyes were staring at me, there was no wriggling, he was still in my arms but his eyes were fixated on me, like at that moment I said that name it made something inside him click.  
"How are we going to feed him? Neither you or I can breastfeed?" Did Shoyo really just ask that?  
"What kind of question is that dumbass?" I snapped   
"Hey don't swear in front of Akihiko" Shoyo snapped back "it's a legitimate question"  
"It's not like he's going to pick upon that now" I groaned, Shoyo huffed taking Akihiko from me and sitting down in a chair. I stood there staring at the two and it all of a sudden hit me like Shoyo's serve to the back of my head that one time.

I had a family of my own, a husband who had been with me since Highschool and now a son, seeing the two of them together brought a smile to my face. A smile that was going to be stuck there for days and hell the others are sure going to give me stick for this. One thing popped into my head as Shoyo started making weird faces and stupid dumbass noises while he kissed Akihiko on the head.  
"What if he doesn't like volleyball?"


	2. Following In Their Footsteps

"Akihiko wake up"  
"Just a few more minutes" I groan, the cover gets pulled off and a gust of cold air grabs me, opening my eyes I stare at my aunt who is giving me a stern look like obaa-chan does. "Aunt Natsu"  
"If you don't hurry you'll be late for first day of high school" She says, my eyes widen at the time and I'm out of bed in a flash. Today's the first day of high school, I've worked so hard to get here and......... Oh I'm getting ahead of myself, I'm Akihiko Kageyama, 15 years old and today I start at Karasuno High School. You've probably heard of it, best high school in Miyagi prefecture. Home to the Karasuno High Volleyball team. I'm handing in my application today under Coach Sumawara's recommendation and the fact that Nishinoya Senpai said that my dads would be ecstatic if I got into the volleyball team at high school, heck Aunt Natsu says they'd be complete dorks over the fact that I got into karasuno.

If you didn't know (no brownie points for guessing) my dads are Tobio and Shoyou Kageyama, Japan's national star duo with the freak quick. I guess it was in my blood that I'd follow in their footsteps but since I was five years old my dad (Tobio) would sit with me throwing a small volleyball that pops (Shoyo) had found on one of his regular shopping trips. I'd been born through a scientific breakthrough which allowed my dads to have children without the need for a surrogate, pretty smart ey!  
I'd began to play after school when I was eleven, from about seven my dads had started to go back to their professional status which meant that any time i had with them was precious for me and so playing was something that kept me connected to them. Everytime I stepped onto the court I could feel my pops lifting me up as I jumped to slam the ball into the oppositions side. When I served I mimicked my dads serve (it took a few tries and a few balls to the face).

"Akihiko are you done? Come on otherwise Daichi will be disappointed" thankfully Aunt Natsu was there too look after me, living in the house across the road she would come to check on me twice a day, sometimes she brings my cousin over with her too. It's mostly to check if I'm eating properly and then reporting back to my dad.

"Mako seriously stop wriggling about" I entered the kitchen where Aunt Natsu was juggling making my bento and my little baby cousin.  
"Ahki" I smiled as the little boy held his arms out to me, "Ahki, Ahki"  
"Hey little buddy" I took the boy and lifted him high in the air causing an adorable giggle. Placing Makoto on my hip I turned the paper over that Aunt Natsu brought.

**Japan scores second victory**

**Japan is storming away through the world volleyball championships which are currently being held in Tokyo.**  
**The legendary duo of power couple Tobio and Shoyo Kageyama who's lightning fast quick has enabled the team to advance to the top 16 after defeating Finland 25-18, 25-23.**

A smile lit up my face as I saw the picture of pops midair as he hit the winning serve.

"I swear, Nii-chan your such a dumbass" Aunt Natsu growled at her phone.  
"What's pops done now?"  
"He's just an overall worry wart" she huffed. "He was like this the day you were born, Tobio don't feed him too much, no Natsu you'll drop him, Nidhinoya senpai stop being crude, ughh he never used to be like this"  
I'd heard many stories of pops when he was my age, how he'd practically could win anyone over just by looking at them (worked on dad), how he'd invited himself to a training camp and almost got kicked out, how he'd taken one of dads serves and knocked the vice principlal's wig off.  
"You'd best call him so he's not annoying your father" Aunt Natsu said as she placed my completed Benton the table before taking Makoto out of my arms. "Smells like someone needs their nappy changing"  
I picked up my phone and dailed pops number which he answered in seconds.

"Hey Aki" a wave of comfort washed over me, don't get me wrong I'm proud that pops and dad are professionals, but sometimes I wish they would be here full time as well.  
"Hey pops, Aunt Natsu said you were being a dumbass" I replied. "How's dad?"  
"She would say that, your dads a bad influence" pops chuckled. "Your dads fine, we're getting ready for morning practice"  
"OI dumbass, stop dawdling and get changed already" Dads voice yelled. "If we're late again the coach is going to ban us from sharing a room"  
"I'm talking to Aki" there was a little bit of a commotion and noises which indicated a fight for the phone and then.  
"Akihiko"  
"Hey dad"  
"Are you ok? Have you been eating properly? Are you all ready for school? Do you need anything?" Pops wasn't the only worry wart it seemed. "If you do let your aunt know and we'll send the money over right away, your getting enough slee..."  
"Dad, dad, dad, calm down, I'm fine" I cut him off. "Aunt Natsu's got everything under control"

"Sorry, I'm just worried you know"  
"What's this, Bakageyama worried about someone? I might just faint" Pops teased.  
"Shut up dumbass, you do realise that's your last name too" Dad snapped back. "And get dressed already dumbass"  
Seriously was dumbass a the only word in our family's vocabulary? It's like the most common word we Kageyama's used on a daily basis.  
"So did you get into the school you wanted?" Dad continued ignoring pops who was shouting some nonsense.  
"Yeah, Karasuno" there was shouting and the sound of either dad or pops cussing the damn table.  
"You got in? Seriously you got in Aki" Pops voice was building up and I instinctively held the phone away from my ear before I replied.  
"Uh yeah"  
"AWWWWWYEAHHHHH, TOBIO HE GOT INTO KARASUNO, THIS IS SO GWAHHH" I flinched at the loud piercing sound coming from the end of the receiver. I would have thought dad would've scolded pops for making to much noise but. "YESSSSSS, WELL DONE"  
"I'm assuming the loud primate noises are your fathers" Aunt Natsu mumbled. "Told you they'd be total dorks if you got into Karasuno"  
"Should I tell them about trying out for the volleyball team?" The loud screaming still could be heard through the receiver.

"Don't build their ego's up to much at the moment, when you aced your junior high tests they bragged about it for a week that Nii-chan got distracted a whole match"  
"Was that the time he came home with band aids all over his face?"  
"Yep seven ace serves right in the face" she replied. "Best leave it as a surprise for when they next come home"  
"Aki are you there?" Pops voice could be heard again. "We gotta go otherwise coach is going to kill us, we'll Skype you later kay?"  
"Ok pops" I smiled still hearing dad in the background coming up with some plan for what I did after Highschool. "I love you"  
"We love you to buddy, give Daichi San our regards when you see him"  
"I will"  
"Cya"  
"Hey chin up Aki, they'll be home before you know it" Aunt Natsu patted me on the head. "Come on breakfast otherwise your going to be super late"  
"Good morning, pardon the intrusion" I turned around at the newcomer and a grin erupted on my face.

"You forgot to do your hair dumbass" I snickered, standing in front of us was Tomoya Nishinoya, my best friend since we were kids. He'd obviously been in a rush as his hair was still all frizzy from the shower.  
"Ahhh, your serious?" He gaped.  
"It's all over the place, you ain't getting any girls numbers that way, they'll think you're a hobo" teasing Tomoya was hilarious and I did almost on a daily basis. He has these moments where his mind turns to jelly and he becomes airheaded, sometimes clumsy and forgetful, like now for instance.  
"Mannn I knew I forgot something this morning" he groaned. "I couldn't sleep last night thanks to my dads, they decided to well you know, and my father is not the quietest"  
"That's something you never want to hear" I shuddered remembering a time that I'd rather not.  
"Anyway, your finally caught up again" he smirked. "The twins have been waiting for ages to be in school with Aki again"  
"Let me guess, Hiroto is bouncing off the walls and Etsuo is thinking of ways to put me through rigerous training hell" I groaned,

"It does you good Aki" Tomoya replied. "You wanna be an ace like your pops right?"  
"I know, but seriously, 50 laps in an inflatable suit"  
"It wasn't that bad"  
"I almost rolled down a hill into a lake, if I hadn't of stopped id've probably taken out an old man in the process" Tomoya burst out laughing.  
"You darn kid, should watch where your bloody going" Tomoya giggled imitating the voice of the old man causing both of us to burst into hysterics.  
"You two better get a move on" Aunt Natsu cut into our conversation, jumping up we put on our jackets and bags before dashing off.

It didn't take long for us to get there, we literally ran like a bunch of maniacs.  
"I won that" I cheered collapsing by a bench, Tomoya joining not long after.  
"Yeah, no no doubts about that" Tompya was breathless with a few beads of sweat sliding down his forehead. "I'm pooped"  
"Tsk, thought you had more stamina than that Tomo" that voice was unmistakable, I looked up to see a set of brown eyes and long silver hair. "Your our setter after all, you need loadsa stamina"  
"Hiroto" I jumped up and tackled him  
Into a hug.  
"Hey Aki" Hiroto smiled at me. "Hows things? You got that application complete?"  
"Who do you think your talking to huh" I pulled the form out of my bag waving if in front of him like a fan. He snatched it off me and began reading through it.  
"Looks good enough to me" He hummed. "Better than Tomo's by a long shot"  
"HEY" Tomoya shouted.  
"It's true, when asked what do you want to achieve you put down to be a great setter and to each lots of BBQ"  
"You seriously put that on there?" I snickered.  
"No it was my dad, you know what he's like" Tomoya sighed. "Everytime father cooks BBQ, dads there like a idiot in a trance"

"Yes and when my parents had the beach BBQ recently you were the one looking like an idiot in a trance" I turned around to see Etsuo, Hiroto's twin brother appear. "Hey Aki, looking forward to practice?"  
"I haven't even handed in my application yet, besides if your in charge id rather run to the hills" I replied, Etsuo just chuckled and ruffled my hair.  
"Your practically as good as in, in dads case anyway, and you don't have to worry, there's no fat suits"  
"Yeah" Hiroto chimed. "But you still have to hand in the application, only fair"  
"Just no knocking any wigs off ok?" Etsuo said slapping me on the back. "Come on, sooner we get the day over with the sooner we can go to practice"

I stood up and followed Etsuo, Hiroto and Tomoya trailed behind us talking about the latest match. For me the school day went by in a blur and by the time I'd finished helping clean up the classroom, Tomoya had come to get me.  
"It's been a while since we trained together" he said as we walked to the gym. "You still able to pull off your dads serve?"  
"What do you think won Kitagawa Diachi the junior nationals? " I replied, I'd gone to dads old middle school, it was tough as the name Kageyama was said to be not very liked at that school. I remembered the teasing and the name I'd be given. 'Prince Of The Court', I hadn't understood it untill pops told me the whole story of how dad used to be.  
That drove me to shake that name off and change the views of people there about the name Kageyama.

"Here we are" Tomoya snapped me out of my thoughts, looking up I saw the building that had been in many of my parents photos. this was the place where my dads had started their road to where they were now and I was about set to follow them down the same path.  
Opening the doors I could hear the sounds of balls being served and the squeaking of shoes on the wooden floor.  
"Ah Nishinoya kun, Kageyama kun you're here" there was no mistaking that voice, Daichi Sawamura stood with a welcoming smile. "Nishinoya go get changed and warmed up, Kageyama follow me"  
"Yes coach, Aki see you in a bit" with that Tomoya ran off to the changing rooms, I followed Coach Sawamura to the stage where a girl was sitting with a clipboard.  
"Kimi, have you got everything sorted?" Coach Sawamura asked.

"Sure papa, uniform out of storage, tests already to go" Kimi looked up with a grin. "It's great to see you again Aki"  
"You too Kimi" I replied. "So when do we start coach?"  
"Once you've passed the tests" Coach Sawamura said handing me the uniform.  
Ok" I turned and headed for the changing rooms. This was it, I'd gotten into Karasuno and now all that was left to do was get onto the Volleyball team and then I could truly take my first steps in following my dads. Unfolding the shirt a smile took over my face, there on the front was the number 10. Changing at rapid speed I turned on my heal and headed back into the gym.  
"Looks good Aki" Hiroto grinned. "You ready? This ain't going to be no walk in the park"  
"Bring it on"  
"Very well, the first test will be a three on three match. Me, Etsuo and Tanaka here Vs you and Tomoya"  
"Hey what about our third player" I huffed.  
"Ah yeah, he should be here any minute"  
"Uh excuse me, but is this the volleyball club?" We all turned to see a long haired blonde boy standing there.  
"Yep that's us, your just in time kid" Hiroto ran up to the boy putting his arm around him. "What's ya name?"  
"Ts Tsu Tsukishima Kazuki"


	3. The First Practice

"Ah Tsukishima" Coach Sawamura smiled. "How have you been? Your parents doing well?"  
"I've been good thank you" Tuskishima bowed. "Father sends his regards"  
"Good to hear, Kimi give Tsukishima his stuff so we can get started" Coach Sawamura said taking his place by the side of the court. Tsukishima took his uniform from Kimi and went to change returning a few minutes later.  
"You're on Akihiko's team" Hiroto called, Tsukishima nodded before approaching me and Tomoya before standing behind us. He was shaking like he didn't want to be there but someone had pushed him to join.  
"Kazuki-kun" I called out, he flinched and turned to stare at me.  
"What's wrong?"  
"N n nothing" he stuttered.  
"It's going to be fine" Tomoya added. "You've got me, so you've got nothing to worry about"

Kazuki-kun seemed to relax a bit but the nerves were still there, I just hoped that he calmed down before we started.  
"Alright, let's get this going" Hiroto called, the ball was in his hands and he had a grin on his face. "Get ready for the power of Karasuno's Ace"  
"Stop showing off and serve the ball" Etsuo growled. "Hey! Where's Tanaka?"  
"Take a guess" Tomoya smirked as a loud squeal drew our attention to the gym entrance. A group of girls, many I recognised from my class surrounded a rather tall boy with short black hair. The boy in question had thrown his shirt off and was acting like he was taking part in one of those competitions for muscleheads.  
"Oh for fuck sake" Now there's one thing that you never do if you value your life and that is piss off a member of the Sawamura family. Etsuo was like a snake as he approached the boy who was known as Tanaka before backhanding hin across the head.  
"Hey Et-chan that hurt" Tanaka whined. "Do you have to hit so hard?"  
"Stop complaining and get your ass over here" Etsuo growled. "Your meant to help us break in the first years"

"Aww seriously, why can't the captain do it?" Tanaka whined. "I'm basking in a gold mine here which I can't afford to....ow ow ow ow ok I'm coming" Etsuo dragged the boy along to their side of the court dumping him on the floor in front of me. "Let's get this over with, i wanna get back to....." All it took was one look to know that all his attention had been turned on me and somewhere I knew that this would be problematic. "Well hello there handsome" there was a predatory smirk in those eyes of his. "Say how about after this we go and have a private practice session"  
"TANAKA" Etsuo roared. "Hiroto serve the ball before tanaka decides to devour Aki"  
"Awww but he looks scrumptious Et-chan" Ok this guy creeping me out, he has this perverted look and it's targeting me like a homing missile.  
"Hiroto"  
Hiroto nodded before throwing the ball into the air hitting the ball with force. My eyes snapped as it soared before gravity took its course, the ball accelerated and I barely got into position in time for the recieve.

"Aki nice recieve" Tomoya shouted as he ran forward to the net ready to set. We'd done this many times before, I started running in one direction and Tomoya would follow with his set.  
Just like clockwork, as if we hadn't spent the past year not being on the same team, I jumped, the ball connected flying past Etsuo and Tanakas attempt to block and Hiroto's feeble impression at being a Libero.  
"Nice kill" Tomoya high fives me.  
"Nice ass" I felt a vein pop in my head and turned around to see Tanaka literally salvating.  
"What you say?" I hissed glaring at him  
"I said you've have some nice buns back there" Tanaka winked. "I bet they're firm and soft"  
THAT'S IT, I stormed around to the other side of the net and grabbed Tanaka by the collar of his shirt.  
"Ooooo like it rough do we?" I wouldn't say I was strong but somehow I managed to launch Tanaka against the wall. He flew gracefully before meeting the gyms wall face first.

Hiroto's laughter could be heard and I turned around to see the eldest Sawamura in stitches.  
"Nice kill" he said with as much of a straight face as he could muster before erupting into a fit of giggles again.  
"Hey Hiro that wasn't funny" Tanaka fumed rubbing his head as he got to his feet. "That hurt Aki-chan"  
"Serves you right for being perverted" I huffed. Etsuo threw the ball to Tomoya and he turned to Kazuki.  
"Your turn Kazuki-kun, show us a killer serve" Kazuki squeaked and fumbled when Tomoya threw him the ball, poor guy was now a human earthquake. "Are you ok Kazuki-kun?"  
"FINE" his voice was high pitched, I could see Coach Sawamura watching intensely at both myself and Kazuki, analysing every move we made.

"Let's go Kazuki-kun" Etsuo called, I turned my head, Kazuki was still shaking as he stared at the ball. There was a long silence and then the sound of shoes squeaked behind me and the thud as Kazukis hand connected with the ball. A few seconds later the net wobbled and I saw the ball roll towards my feet.  
"I'M SORRY" Kazuki yelled, he looked petrified, like he thought one of us was going to strangle him.  
"Don't mind" I said picking the ball up, "Swap with Tomoya." I threw the ball at the gentle giant nodding at him. Kazuki was unsure at first but as soon as I waved my arm at him he came to stand where Tomoya had been.  
"Game on" Tomoya yelled and before I knew it the ball had flown over the net, Etsuo dived for it sending it flying to Hiroto who settled it straight at Tanaka.  
"This ones for you Aki-chan, rough just how you like it"  
"Kazuki quick" I yelled at the blonde, the ball fell in slow motion as Tanaka ran at it.

"Kageyama-kun, don't jump yet" Kazuki's voice came beside me, it was a total shock how quickly Kazuki's mood had changed. Nodding I waited for Kazukis signal, by the look of him Tanaka was one of those players that had 'power' written all over him.  
Even though he was perverted, there was something about his form that set a warning off inside my head. If we didn't act quick enough one of us would end up with a ball to the face. "NOW!" I almost missed Kazukis signal due to my thoughts but reacted a few seconds later, the ball bounced off my hand and over Tanaka's shoulder landing just in front of Hiroto's stretched hand.  
"Impressive" Coach Sawamura called. "Etsuo, Hiroto, I think it's time you showed them your true strengths"

The atmosphere in the gym completely changed, I saw something glint in the twins eyes which made me shiver.  
"Aki, your serve" Tomoya called. Nodding I ran to the back of the court before doing my father's serve, this time though Tanaka recieved it, the next few seconds were a blur, Etsuo set the ball at Hiroto, I barely reacted quick enough before the ball slammed past me and into the back of the wall.  
"Looks like my serve now" Hiroto smirked, there was that same glint in his eyes again. Hiroto wasn't the Ace for nothing, ever since he started playing he was a powerful player just like his father.  
Karasuno was famed for their top players, pops idol the Small Giant, Coach Ukai and all our fathers. They had all risen to the top at this school and Hiroto was no exception. The ball was airborn before I even blinked and came crashing downwards skimming mine and Tomoya's hands as we dived for it.

"And that's why I'm the Ace" Hiroto whopped jumping in the air and throwing the victory sign.  
"Don't get carried away" Etsuo grumbled, it was his turn to serve and again the same feeling I had when Hiroto served crept up on me, I wouldn't let it catch me off guard a second time.  
I followed Etsuo's exact movements and crouched into position before the ball had left his hand. The ball came towards me but then changed direction quickly forcing me to dive for it but once again it skimmed the top of my fingers.  
"Close Aki, but not close enough" Etsuo smiled. Had they been going easy on us before? Hiroto's ace serve was something that couldn't be stopped.

 _Well that's not true now is it?_ My pops voice blared in my head.

**Flashback**

"But your quick is the best" I was 11, we were sitting round the table eating breakfast. Dad had made pancakes and we had gotten into the conversation of how Japan had almost lost an important game. At the time I had always thought my dads were invincible, couldn't be blocked. I was convinced that the opposing team had been cheating somehow as Tomoya's dad Yuu said the opposing team wasn't that skilled.  
"The other team must have been cheating" pops chuckled and ruffled my hair.  
"No matter what Nishinoya told you, that team have greatly improved" pops began expalining. "They were so used to our actions that we had to find another way"  
"If we hadn't we'd just be giving points away" Dad said placing a plate in front of me. "It may look like the quick is impossible to recieve or block, but when you've been exposed to the move you anticipate it better and can act when the time comes"

**End flashback**

So now what are you going to do Aki? Whenever I feel into hard times my consciousness would always conjure up my dads voices and that was all I needed.  
"Kazuki-kun, Tomoya" I called them both over ready to imitate my plan.  
"What is if?" Kazuki asked, a curious glance in his eyes.  
"I need you guys to give me some time so I can figure out a way to stop Hiroto's ace serve" I said. I knew Hiroto was going to Ace serve a lot now to get the practice in. "We may lose a few points for this but if it works I think I'll be able to recieve it, when I do Kazuki-kun will deliver a spike"  
"Are you serious?" Kazuki hissed.  
"Hey calm it, you'll be fine, trust in Tomoya" I replied placing my hands in his shoulders.

"Are you guys done yet" Tanaka's voice shouted. "I want this over with so I can get Aki-chan alone in the oooffff"  
"I will be making sure that doesn't happen" Etsuo shook off his fist that he had used to punch Tanaka in the stomach. Turning back I saw Tomoya with a determined look in his eyes."let's do this? Well get you the time you need"  
"I'll try my best" Kazuki followed a bit of a quiver in his voice. Nodding we returned to our positions. Hiroto served again, this time I watched all of his actions with as much precision as I could. I had to find that moment to strike.  
At the same time I studied Kazuki's play style, he was brilliant at blocking, but even Hiroto's serve was causing him problems and the frustration was beginning to show.  
Smack the ball flew past Kazuki again and I saw the slump in his shoulders. "Don't mind" Tomoya patted his back as they prepared for the next serve. Coach decided to switch a bit so Etsuo and Tanaka could get a few serves in.

Tanaka used raw power like Hiroto but there was a difference in how much force he used compared to the ace, this helped us gain a few points back. Etsuo relied on jump float serves mixed alongside some regular serves, his whole strategy was to make us chase after the ball as in came hurtling at us from all directions changing its course in a split second.  
"Looks like it's my turn again" I snapped my eyes to Hiroto, this time, it was defiantly going to be this time that I would stop it.  
I ran to the net as he took his running leap skidding next to Kazuki who had the same idea of watching how the play went down. There was a thud signifying a direct hit on the ball, I stared it down as if by doing so it's momentum would drop and it would make it easier to get.

"Now" Kazuki's voice rang through my ears, we intended to make the ball drop to their side of the court but in the end the ball just skimmed our fingers. "Dammit" I growled, my 11 year old self popped into my head again.  
_He must be cheating._  
_I had that in the bag._  
"You gotta get better if you want to stop this" Hiroto smirked, there was that glint again, it was like a fishing line luring me in and I was taking the bait, biting and getting caught and reeled in everytime.  
Then it stuck me, pops used a technique that had greatly improved his recieves, I remember when both dad and pops had first taught me how to play. Dad had said pops was terrible at receiving when he first started out, but it was sometime after the training camp fiasco that he began to improve.  
Pops then began to tell me how at the camp he was trying to find ways to improve and that one single memory had helped him, the technique was called the 'split step', it allowed you to get a boost of momentum to get to the ball in any direction quickly.

The sound of Hiroto serving made me jump into motion, I made sure my feet left that ground only a few inches before I caught sight of the ball falling. Everything went in slow motion, it was as if my body had a mind of its own.  
I felt the ball against my fist as I dived only for a brief second before Tomoya's voice brought everything back into real time.  
"Chance ball, Kazuki" Kazuki ran up as Tomoya set it hitting it over only to be stopped by Tanaka.  
Etsuo received the pass and Hiroto aced it over, kazuki was there before i could reach it. He fumbled but just managed to get it airborn again.

"AKI" Tomoya shouted. Taking off I darted for the net, again time seemed to slow down as I jumped allowing me to focus on the other side of the court.  
Hiroto and Tanaka were watching my every move ready to intercept the spike. If you asked me what happened next, I would've told you that my mind and body acted on its own. It was like my subconscious just decided to wake up, I saw my hand ready to spike at the two but then in a flash it changed direction. Tanaka and Hiroto only reacted a second later as the ball slammed down onto the gym floor before flying past Etsuo's head.  
There was a silence in the gym as if everyone was stunned at what they saw. "Okay that's enough" Coach Sawamura called after a few seconds. "I've seen all I wanted to see, Kageyama-kun, Tsukishima-kun welcome to the club, you've passed"  
"But what about the other tests dad?" Hiroto asked.  
"We won't need them, gather everyone that's here around, I've decided the team for our first game in three weeks"

After everyone had gathered by the stage, Coach Sawamura pulled announced the team, who would be playing in Karasuno's very first game of the new season.  
"As usual, Nishinoya as our setter, Hiroto as our Ace, Etsuo wing spiker" Coach started. "Kageyama you'll be a middle blocker, Enoshita libero duty and of course Ukai-kun as our other wing spiker"  
My heart jumped in my chest as I realised that I was picked for the starting line up. "We start training for the game tomorrow, so make sure you're here early, dismissed"  
"Hey coach, is Satoshi ok to play?" Tomoya asked.  
"I talked to him today, he's healed up pretty quickly and he'll be at training tomorrow" Coach replied. "Make sure you get enough rest"

With that he sent us to get changed. "Welcome to the team Aki" Hiroto slapped me in the back. "I'm annoyed you managed to stop my Ace serve though"  
"I'm more annoyed that you tricked us" Etsuo came up beside his twin. "How did you manage to pull off that move so quickly?"  
"I remembered something my pops taught me" I replied. "It's called split step"  
"Ah like in tennis" Tomoya pondered.  
"Split step?" The twins replied in unison.  
"Yes, by imitating a small jump a few metres off the ground your able to give your legs the momentum needed to get to a ball quicker than if you were to naturally try to recieve" Tomoya finished  
"What about me coach?" Kazuki's voice caught my attention. We peered into the gym were Kazuki stood fists clenched looking at Coach Sawamura. There was desperation in his eyes, he wanted this chance as much as I did.  
"You were good Tsukishima but you hesitate too much" Coach Sawamura stated. "There were times in that match where you looked like you were about to give up"

"I i n n never give up"  
"Can you say that without a stutter?" Those words felt like a slap to the face. Kazuki slumped and bowed in front of Coach Sawamura before making his way to the door where I stood.  
"Kazuki-kun are you?"  
"No, but it doesn't matter" I wanted to help him, making up my mind I ran out to coach who was putting the net away.  
"Coach, it's about Kazuki-kun"  
"Your going to ask me why I've not put him in the team, correct?" Coach Sawamura replied.  
"Well yes, you accepted him into the club, but no the starting line up" I continued. "He proved himself didn't he? Yeah he was nervous but he still pulled off good defensive moves"  
"Yes I admit he has a good defensive skill, but I'm sure you noticed to, he's prone to giving up"  
"But"

"Let me finish, I'm doing this for his own good, we need a team that can keep fighting when things get bad" I hated to admit it but coach was right. Kazuki looked like he was losing hope everytime he failed to save any of Hiroto's serves. "By doing this I hope Tuskishima can find it in himself to fight to be on this team, that's why"  
"Then I'll help him" the words left my mouth so confidently and I just ended up spewing out what my mind was providing me with. "I'll train him and then we'll have another practice match to prove that he deserves a spot"  
"Very well, I'll leave it to you" Coach Sawmura smiled before waking off to put the net back in the cupboard. Turning on my heel I went back into the changing room.  
"Why did you say that?" Turning around Kazuki's eyes were locked in me.  
"Because you deserve a place Kazuki-kun" I replied. "Your an amazing blocker and I believe you'll be a great addition to the team"

He didn't say anything else and I couldn't work out his expression.  
"But you heard the coach, you've seen it too" Kazuki hissed out. "I'm not strong enough"  
"Don't say that, Aki said he'd help you" Hiroto said.  
"I don't need anyone's help"  
"Kazuki-kun" I tried to grab his shoulder but he just swiped my hand off, threw his bag over his shoulder and left. Sighing I finished changing and left also hoping to get home so I could get a chance to talk to my dads.


End file.
